Reports have surfaced that imprisoned singer R. Kelly has formally petitioned President Donald Trump to commute his federal prison sentence.

The Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney lists the request as pending – an administrative designation indicating the petition has been received and remains under review. It is not a recommendation, nor does it predict whether clemency will be granted.

In our justice system, the word "clemency" carries enormous weight.

The U.S. Constitution gives every president extraordinary authority to grant mercy. That power exists for good reasons. It recognizes that justice is administered by human beings and, in rare circumstances, mercy may correct injustice, acknowledge extraordinary rehabilitation or serve the public interest.

Granting executive clemency is never merely a legal act, though. It is also an act of leadership.

Clemency requests offer deeper meaning

Every pardon and commutation communicates something about our nation's values. It tells the public not only who receives mercy, but also what conduct society ultimately considers forgivable – and under what........

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